Covered container



Oct. 10. 1933. STERN COVERED CONTAINER Filed Sept. 10, 1931 :11 I yl Ni; W I F bzventor flavldflieru Patented Oct. 10, 1933 UNITED STATES 1,930,324 COVERED oON'rAINER.

g David Stern, Newton, Mass.

Application September 10, 1931 Serial No. 562,065

(iClaims. (Cl. 220-59) This invention relates to containers for food products, particularly food products which must be kept as nearly air tight as possible and which should not be opened during transit or until shortly before the same are consumed.

Round tubs, whether of metal or wood, are satisfactory containers and the only difficulty has been in providing a removable cover therefor which, while removable, could not so readily be removed and replaced durin transportation or before the proper time without there always being present a danger either of the contents of the can being stolen or the same contaminated or injured from exposure. It is my purpose to produce a cover which is readily removable at the proper time, but which can not be removed and replaced without destroying the original seal and which will thus present evidence of tampering. A container provided with such a cover itself serves "2o notice on the consignee that investigation of the contents is advisable before the goods are accepted.

A particular field of usefulness for my improved container has proven to be that of the transportation of fresh fish or fish packed in ice or oil, clams or oysters, with or without the shells, which are often transported considerable distances, and during such transportation must be kept in relatively air tight containers.

The most popular type of container is that having a set in cover, and in order securely to fasten this cover in place in the container various expedients have been suggested including not only the simple nailing of the cover to the wall of the container, but also interlocking slots and tabs. The nails, of course, disfigure and destroy the container, and the slot and tab construction, as well as the practice of placing a tight-retaining wire around the outside of the can, is unsatisfactory V in that it too readily permits access to the inside of the container which unfortunately frequently results in the persons who handle the cans removing portions of the contents thereof and contaminating the remainder so that the shipper at no time has any assurance that the goods will be received by the consignee in the condition in which the same were shipped.

My present invention contemplates the positioning of the cover within the container top without the requirement of any extraneous devices such as retaining wires, nails, or tabs, while at the same time effecting a sealing of the container which not only is tighter and more satisfactory as a seal than previous efiorts, but also cannot be destroyed without leaving evidence of tamper- This sealing I effect by means of a simple mechanism, novel in construction and result, which in a single movement fastens the cover in place so as to produce a close interlocking of container and cover. a

In thedrawing I have illustrated and in the specification described aform of my closed container. Throughoutthe specification and drawing like reference numerals are employed to indicate corresponding parts.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is an elevation of my improved container, the cover being shown in dotted lines.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of a container covered in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 3 is a detail partly in section of the cover and container wall in interlocked relation.

My receptacle 1 is preferably of cylindrical shape having a rolled bottom 2 and provided adjacent its top and bottom with strengthening or reenforcing ridges or channels 3.

The cover 4 has an upturned marginal rim or flange 4 adapted to be seated within and to bear against the upper edge of thecontainer wall 5. This flange is out-turned adjacent the top of the wall as at 4 and overlies and bears upon the rolled or beaded edge 5 of the container to maintain the cover 4 in position on the container.

At selected points about the circumference of the can, I subject the contacting cover flange and container wall to a crimping action which produces from the body thereof interlocking deformities or lugs 6, thus securely locking the cover in place on the container. The interlocking lugs or deformations 6 are shaped with converging sides so that they may be reformed to substantially former contour. As appears from Figure 3, the cover top is underneath this lug 6, the crimping action affecting only the integral upturned cover flange and container wall, such action, however, effectively maintaining the cover in position on the can.

The lugs may. project inwardly or outwardly 1 of the container wall depending on the dies employed and the operating position of the same. If the same project outwardly the lugs may be utilized as handles by means of which the container may be lifted.

When it is desired to open the container, the, cover may be removed by hammering out the lugs and inserting a screw driver beneath the flange 4 to disengage the cover flange 4 from the container wall.

Various modifications in the construction and operation of my device may obviously be resorted to without departing from the spirit of my invention if within the limits of the appended claims.

What I therefore claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An open mouth cylindrical container comprising bottom and side wall members and a cupped cover with a mouth engaging flange lodged within said container mouth, said cover wall and container flange having interlocking indented deformities of substantially angular cross section and being so shaped that they are restorable to the original contour of the container and cover.

2. A covered container comprising bottom and wall members and a cover having an upturned fiang engaging the upper portion of said wall, said wall and flange having reducible deformities inwardly extending and detachably interlocking said cover and can, said deformations being so shaped that they are res'torable to the original contour of the container and cover.

' 3. An open mouthed cylindrical container comprising bottom and wall members and a cupped cover having an upturned flange engaging the upper portion of said wall, said cover flange and said container wall having interlocking inwardly extending lugs adapted to be reduced to free said cover, said lugs being so shaped that they are restorable to the original contour of the container and cover.

4. A sealed pack comprising a container, an internally fitted cover having a depressed center and an upturned marginal rim, said container and cover being interlocked in assembly adjacent the container mouth by a plurality of radially deformable compressions extending along the cord of the arc of curvature of the container, whereby the interlock may be radially reformed to release the seal of the pack.

5. A sealed cylindric pack comprising an open mouth container, an internally fitted cover having a depressed center, and an upturned marginal rim, said container and cover being interlocked in assembly adjacent the container mouth by a plurality of radially inwardly deformable compressions extending along the cord of the arc of curvature of the container, whereby the interlock may be radially reformed to release the seal of the pack.

6. An open mouthed container comprising bottom and wall members and a cover having an upturned marginal flange engaging the upper portion of said wall, said cover flange and said container wall being interlocked by a plurality of deformations having converging sides, said deformations being substantially reformable to former contour.

DAVID STERN. 

